VALLEY BOX BLOG

How to Turn Scrap Into New Resources

Sat, Mar 17, 2012

Valley Box Company incorporate sustainable business practices into our operations by recycling all wood scrap using Waste Management’s commercial recycling services. The goal with every recycling program is to retain as much value as possible. WM helps to do that by turning our materials into new resources.

The list below describes options to turn wood scrap materials into new resources:

LUMBER: A desirable option for wood waste management would be to reuse the structural or architectural elements, which include casings, banisters, and molding. Large timbers from older or unique structures can be salvaged and reused as structural elements in new buildings. If lumber is reused as a structural element, it must be re-certified by a lumber grading inspector.

ENGINEERED WOOD PRODUCTS: Another desirable option for wood waste is feedstock for engineered wood. Engineered wood is the term given to material derived from smaller pieces of wood that are bound together through a variety of glues, resins, and other chemicals to make a wood-like product. Examples of engineered wood include oriented strand board, Particle board, glued-laminated timber, laminated lumber, wood I-joists, and finger-jointed studs.

MULCH OR COMPOST: Feedstock Chipped wood and bark are common mulches. Wood is an excellent bulking agent for composting, although a nitrogen source usually needs to be added.

BIOMASS FUEL: Oven dry wood can be converted to liquid or gaseous fuel. In addition, different forms of solid fuel such as charcoal are possible. Industrial wood residues are commonly used for boiler fuel.

Valley Box demonstrates what is possible beyond just the typical wooden box. This specialty packaging manufacturer works with a wide variety of materials from wood to plastic, corrugate, metals and more. Discover how to take specialty packaging to the next level.